Twin towers, double damage – new Lever House scheme threatens Kingston’s historic skyline

A Kingston Society Soapbox article by STEPHEN COATES*

Visualisations are indicative only and based on limited information currently available. They have been prepared using mapping, photographs, and best-estimate building data to illustrate the potential visual impact of the proposed development in context.

Lever House Redevelopment Proposals

The latest Lever House redevelopment proposal represents not refinement but escalation – a renewed attempt to push taller, more intrusive towers into one of Kingston’s most sensitive historic settings despite the expiry of earlier permissions and the clear direction of emerging Local Plan policy. By proposing buildings that exceed established height guidance, challenge protected view corridors, and compete directly with the Royal Exchange landmark tower, the scheme risks setting a damaging precedent that could unravel the carefully managed skyline of the historic centre. Presented as improvement, the proposal is in reality a calculated overreach that prioritises commercial gain over heritage protection, townscape coherence, and the long-term character of Kingston itself.

Your chance to comment

Cube Real Estate who act on behalf of the land-owner, the National Farmers Union (NFU), have a Webinar presentation 23rd February 1.00pm (you need to register) as part of the community consultation on the proposals for Lever House in Kingston. Drop-in event 12th February 2026 at Everyday Church Auditorium, 46 Union St, Kingston upon Thames KT1 1RP from 16:00 to 19:00.

In Cube’s own words “The new plans replace the single tall, bulky building with two slimmer buildings, creating a cleaner townscape and balance across the site whilst respecting Kingston’s heritage. It improves daylight and views, delivers usable space at ground level such as publicly accessible co-working space and cafe, and enables a stronger setting for the Hogsmill River, while providing homes that meet local needs”

It is telling that they now acknowledge the shortcomings of the current outline planning-approved scheme, and we share that view. Their latest proposals, however, should be firmly rejected as a blatant attempt to inflict even greater harm on the Historic Centre.

Royal Exchange Landmark Tower occupies the ONLY location compliant with Kingston’s Viewing Corridor and Tall Building Guidance. 3 KEY POINTS TO NOTE HERE :-

  • Residents FOUGHT HARD to keep its height down to 16-storeys!
  • Residents FOUGHT HARD to secure SOME ‘affordable homes’ which met with much resistance from the Applicant
  • Adjacent buildings should STEP DOWN in height, NOT UP!

The current Outline Planning Approval for 16-storey tower was deemed to cause harm to the setting of numerous heritage assets, but deemed acceptable since they were forced to provide 35% AFFORDABLE HOMES OUT OF 115 TOTAL

The reality is that the impact would be devastating for Kingston’s Historic Centre, its Market Place, Highly Important Protected Views and Residential Conservation Areas.

Cube claim their proposals “build on the existing consent …”

But this does not stand up to scrutiny:

  • The 22-storey tower originally proposed in 2020 was firmly rejected, because of the HARM it would cause to the setting of our Historic Town Centre.
  • The outline permission for a 16-storey residential tower is still considered harmful but justified by Unilever’s stated intention to move its Global HQ to Kingston, occupy both office buildings, and provide some affordable homes.
  • Despite earlier promises, Unilever have reduced their commitment to Kingston and will only occupy two thirds of the office space they built with the remaining 10 storeys of offices up for sub-let. It remains to be seen if that will just stand empty…… As we suspected from the start, it was all smoke and mirrors.
  • It is unclear how many NEW jobs have in fact come to Kingston and meanwhile the second building does not have a tenant
  • See next panel for the history of successive harmful redevelopment proposals for Lever House.

This is the developers 4th attempt to impose a harmful development on Kingston’s Historic Market Place

Doesn’t the new Kingston Local Plan protect Kingston’s Heritage Assets and Important Views

Yes, it does

  • In 2020 the developers argued that the Kingston’s adopted development Plan (2008-2012) was “out of date” and should be disregarded.
  • The draft New Kingston Local Plan 2023-2041 was expected to be published later this year. This has been delayed because of recent developments at National and London Plan level BUT the draft Plan continues to protect heritage assets and Very Highly Important Views consistent with the previous Plan documents.
  • The New Plan specifically designates the Lever House site as ONLY ‘….suitable for buildings up to 40m — indicatively up to 12 storeys.’ (see coloured map opposite + Policy KD11)
  • The Borough has invested considerable time and effort to create the New Kingston Plan. The developers must be required to comply with its provisions otherwise, it makes a mockery of the entire process.
  • This proposal is so radically different, and more egregious than the previous harmful scheme, Cube has no option but to submit an entirely NEW application which must be judged afresh against the incoming Local Plan.

The new draft Kingston Plan also continues to SAFEGUARD CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT VIEWS. The View Study Report 2018, even has on its cover the very view that would be destroyed by these proposals.

The draft new Kingston Plan states that “the council will require development proposals to actively enhance the features and composition of strategic and local views, AND that proposals impacting Strategic Views, Local Views, and Local Landmarks must demonstrate how they contribute to improving local distinctiveness AND ….. that there is no adverse effect on the foreground, middle ground, and background of the designated view…..” None of which can be said about these proposals

The proposals would be devastating to Knights Park Conservation Area to the East by ignoring Policy D9 which requires clusters of tall buildings to ‘transition in scale to its surrounding context to protect amenity or privacy’

This view from a 1st floor window in Knights Park shows (1) the current situation with the existing Lever House correct interpretation of D9, (2) the outline planning approval for a a 16-storey tower, and (3) this latest most egregious attempt.

If building control heights are effectively ignored in this critical case it would create such a damaging precedent there would nothing to stop developers creating an arc of 20+ storey towers encircling our Historic Centre.

Other Considerations – Affordable Homes?

Cube make a big point of stressing that they are “providing on-site affordable homes alongside co-living studios that address a local need.”

Every residential development must provide affordable homes. That is not justification for creating such devastating harm .

CUBE CANNOT ‘BUILD’ ON THE EXISTING OUTLINE PERMISSION AND MUST START AGAIN IF THEY WISH TO CHANGE THEIR PROPOSAL TO THIS EVEN MORE EGREGIOUS PROPOSAL.

Proper consideration must be given to retaining and repurposing Lever House, BEFORE considering demolition and replacement (Draft policy KC10)

If they wish for a twin tower, reducing each tower to 11 and 9 storeys respectively, would alleviate the harm, provide the necessary transition of heights as per Policy D9, and still provide 20 storeys of residential floors, 4 MORE than the Outline Planning Approval for 16-storeys

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Last Updated on February 23, 2026 by Kingston Society